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Our Company Blog
by Mike O'Mara | Feb 6, 2015 | Chimney Inspections, Chimney Maintenance
California is known for having earthquakes that can damage your chimney
As residents of California, we are familiar with dealing with earthquakes and the property damage they can cause. Did you know the most common earthquake property damage is chimney collapse? Not only is this true in our state, but also in other areas that suffer earthquakes in this country. The number of chimneys lost every year to earthquake damage is staggering. One reason for this great structural loss is chimneys are often ignored when preparing for earthquakes and the damage they can cause. Weststar Chimney Sweeps would like to tell you more about the effect of earthquakes on chimneys.
How do earthquakes cause a chimney to collapse?
It goes without saying that earthquakes cause the ground to shake resulting in buildings enduring forces to which they are not normally subjected toward. These forces lead to a deterioration of the brickwork and can cause a chimney to collapse. Even minor seismic events can cause this to happen to your chimney, so it’s important to have your chimney routinely checked – especially in seismic hotbeds.
What is the best prevention against chimney collapse during seismic activity?
The chimneys that are most commonly damaged are un-reinforced chimneys, according to InspectAPedia, an online encyclopedia of building and environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, and repair topics.
What are the dangers of a chimney collapse?
No one can predict which way a chimney will collapse. If a chimney were to collapse on the house, it could be deadly. People have even become trapped inside by a collapsed chimney. Even if the chimney does not fall onto the house, it could fall on a neighbor’s home or on someone outside.
What can I do to prepare my un-reinforced chimney for an earthquake?
You can have your chimney braced, but this does not guarantee it will not collapse. You can also remove the masonry and use a metal flue that is surrounded by a wooden box. This box can be covered with brick veneer above the roof line.
What is the best thing I can do to be sure my chimney is sturdy enough to withstand seismic activity?
The best way to ensure your chimney is safe from earthquake damage is to have it inspected every year by Weststar Chimney Sweeps. We have experience in knowing where earthquake damage can occur and exactly what to look for to be certain your chimney is safe during seismic activity.
Have any questions about how earthquakes can affect chimneys? Contact Weststar Chimney Sweeps to find out whatever you need to know.
by Mike O'Mara | Jan 30, 2015 | fire safety
Make sure you are prepared in the case of a house fire!
Whether or not you have a fireplace in your home, there is always a possibility of a house fire. If a fire does break out in your home, you may only have as little as two minutes to be able to escape. The best way to protect yourself and your family is the identification and removal of all fire hazards from your home. Another excellent way to protect yourself, your family, and your home is to know and follow important home fire safety tips. At Weststar Chimney Sweeps, we like to educate our customers on fire safety, and we would like to share with you some fire safety tips we feel are essential.
Install Multiple Smoke Alarms
According to the Red Cross, 60% of house fire deaths occur in homes with no smoke alarms installed. Smoke alarms should be installed on every level of your home, inside bedrooms, and outside sleeping areas. Make it a monthly routine to check your smoke alarms to be sure they are still working properly. Smoke alarms will usually last for at least 10 years; however, you will have to change the batteries to keep them working properly.
Have an Escape Plan in Place
Everyone in your home should know two ways to escape from every room in your home. Designate a meeting place outside the house to be sure everyone has gotten out safely. Use a two-minute time frame when you are planning your escape routes. Practice your escape plan with your family on a regular basis to be sure everyone knows how to proceed if an emergency should occur. Include waking up to smoke alarms, low crawling, and meeting outside during your escape plan practices. Be sure everyone in the house knows how to dial 911. Teach family members how to stop, drop, and roll if their clothes happen to catch on fire.
Cook Safely
Never leave the kitchen unattended when cooking, frying, or broiling food, and do not leave your home when roasting, boiling, baking or simmering food. Set a timer to alert you when your food should be done cooking, baking, boiling, or roasting. Keep all flammable items like pot holders, towels, clothing, and plastic away from the stove. Keep all pets off cooking surfaces and counter-tops to prevent them knocking things onto the burners and to protect them from possibly burning themselves.
Practice Common Sense
Keep flammable items at least three feet away from space heaters, fireplaces, and other heating appliances. Turn off portable heaters when you leave the room and when you go to sleep. Never smoke in bed. Talk to your children on a regular basis about the dangers of fire. Always keep matches and lighters out of reach from children.
Be Aware of the Dangers of Carbon Monoxide
Just as you do with smoke alarms, install carbon monoxide detector alarms on every level of your home, inside bedrooms, and outside sleeping areas. If one of these alarms goes off to alert you of the presence of carbon monoxide in your home, move quickly to the fresh air outdoors or stand by an open window or door. Never use generators, grills, camp stoves, or any other gasoline, propane, natural gas, or charcoal burning devices inside a home, a garage, basement, crawlspace, or other partially enclosed space.
If you would like to know more home fire safety tips, contact Weststar Chimney Sweeps. As part of our responsibilities as CSIA-certified chimney sweeps, we take pride in educating our customers on fire safety procedures and precautions.
by Mike O'Mara | Jan 7, 2015 | Chimney Cap Choices
One of your best defenses against water penetration and animal invasions of your chimney, a chimney cap sits on top of your chimney’s opening. With several different types of chimney caps available, how do you know which cap is the right fit for the flue of your chimney? At Weststar Chimney Sweeps, we are experienced with fitting all types of chimney caps, even customized caps, and we know the importance of proper installation. We would like to tell you a bit about the different kinds of chimney caps and what you should know about selecting the right kind for your chimney to prevent damaging water leaks.
The main thing to consider when deciding which chimney cap is right for your chimney is the shape of your flue. Chimney caps come in different shapes to fit each type of flue. These shapes include:
ROUND FLUES
Whether you have a clay, masonry, or metal flue, you can find a round chimney cap that can either attach the the outside of the flue or slip inside the flue. Round chimney caps are made from an assortment of materials including copper, stainless steel, and galvanized steel. Some round flue liners require chimney caps that must be inserted inside the chimney flue, such as round flexible flue liners and round solid pack flue liners.
SQUARE AND RECTANGULAR FLUES
The most commonly shaped flue, square and rectangular chimney caps can be attached to the flue, or, if you have a chimney crown, there are chimney caps in these sizes that can attach to the crown. Made from the same metals as the round chimney caps, the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) recommends you choose a chimney cap constructed from a sturdy, durable, and rust- and corrosion-resistant material to ensure a long-lasting cap. For chimney caps that attach to a chimney crown, you will need to choose from top mounted chimney caps.
OVAL FLUES
Unless you have a custom-shaped oval chimney cap made for you by our technicians at Weststar Chimney Sweeps, you will need to look at rectangular shaped chimney caps that will cover the exterior of your flue.. When you look inside this type of cap, you can see how the corner tabs or interior ledges will accommodate oval flues.
There are other considerations other than preventing water leaks to think about when choosing a chimney cap. These include:
MESH SPARK ARRESTOR
To prevent animals from entering your chimney to take up a new residence and to keep sparks from flying out of your chimney and possibly starting a fire, your chimney cap should be equipped with wire mesh sides. Be sure the mesh openings are between ¾ to ½ inches in size to keep animals out, to contain large pieces of hot debris and ashes, and to allow toxic gases to escape.
COMBINATION OF A CHIMNEY CAP AND DAMPER
You can now find top sealing chimney caps that do double duty as a protective cap and as a damper. Perfect for new home constructions and for older chimneys in need of numerous repairs, the damper is located on the cap. When it is sealed closed, the air loss from your home is reduced by 90%. When the damper is opened, the wire mesh on the chimney cap protects your chimney from invading animals and prevents stray sparks from exiting.
Want to know more about the different types of chimney caps? Contact Weststar Chimney Sweeps today to talk to our expert staff about your many options.
by Mike O'Mara | Dec 30, 2014 | Paint N Peel
We at Weststar Chimney Sweeps want to not only be sure your fireplace and chimney work safely and properly, but we also want your fireplace to look the best it can. If you have noticed that the bricks or stones around and inside your fireplace look dark and smudgy, it is most likely time to clean those bricks and stones. Of course, you could use elbow grease and scrub off the smoke stains, but we have an easier way to clean your masonry fireplace that will leave those bricks and stones looking brand new. We would like to tell you more about this revolutionary product, Paint N Peel Fireplace Cleaner, we use to remove smoke stains.
What is Paint N Peel Fireplace Cleaner?
A water-based cleaning poultice, Paint N Peel Fireplace Cleaner easily removes unattractive smoke, soot, dirt, and creosote stains from masonry fireplace fronts and hearths. Environmentally-friendly, this cleaner leaves behind no noxious odors and can be used indoors and outdoors.
How does Paint N Peel work?
Using our special tools, our chimney sweeps will paint on a thick coating of the poultice and allow it to dry for six to twelve hours. During its drying process, the layer becomes a tough, elastic topcoat on your fireplace surfaces. Once it has thoroughly dried, our sweeps will then peel away the layer to reveal clean bricks and stones.
To what surfaces can Paint N Peel Fireplace Cleaner be safely applied?
This product has been formulated to use on textured and smooth bricks, granite, marble, slate, limestone, concrete, and tile. Of course, Weststar Chimney Sweeps will be sure Paint N Peel can be safely used on your fireplace before we apply it.
Can I use Paint N Peel Fireplace Cleaner myself?
While you can apply this remarkable fireplace cleaner on your own, Weststar Chimney Sweeps recommends you hire professional chimney sweeps to do this job to guarantee the Paint N Peel Fireplace Cleaner is correctly used. We have lots of experience cleaning fireplace fronts and hearths with this cleaner and know exactly what to do. We know which areas will need a thicker coating with more time to dry. And, although this formula is non-toxic, it is always a good idea to let professionals handle any chemical cleaner or solvent. We will also be sure to protect all surrounding carpet, wood, fabric, metal, and painted surfaces from drips or spills that could stain these materials. We will also dust the areas of your fireplace before applying Paint N Peel to ensure the best possible results.
Interested in getting your fireplace front and hearth cleaned with Paint N Peel Fireplace Cleaner? Contact Weststar Chimney Sweeps to schedule an appointment for our sweeps to make your fireplace look new again.
by Mike O'Mara | Dec 15, 2014 | Luck of the Chimney Sweep
At Weststar Chimney Sweeps, we are asked why a chimney sweep is considered to be lucky. Many Americans have not heard the legends of the luck of the chimney sweep as they all originated in Europe. In fact, because of these legends, it is considered to be very lucky for the bride and groom in England to see a chimney sweep on their wedding day. If that chimney sweep kisses the bride or shakes the groom’s hand, even more luck is brought to the new marriage. This belief is so popular that English chimney sweeps even rent out their services to appear at weddings to bring luck to the bride and groom’s new life together. Since so many of our customers are curious about these legends, we would like to share the three main stories about why a chimney sweep is considered to be good luck in love and happiness.
The Chimney Sweep who Saved the Life of King William of Britain
The legend of the luck of the chimney sweep began in 1066 in Great Britain. A chimney sweep spotted a runaway carriage heading right for King William of Britain, who was walking quietly down the road. With amazing courage, the chimney sweep rushed to push the wayward carriage out of King William’s path, which saved his life. As a sign of his eternal gratitude towards this lifesaving, brave chimney sweep, King William made a declaration to his people that all chimney sweeps as bringers of good luck. To further show how grateful he was, the king invited the chimney sweep to his daughter’s wedding to bring luck to the bride and groom. Ever since, Europeans believed that chimney sweeps are lucky charms at weddings, which has led to chimney sweep being frequent wedding guests for centuries.
The Chimney Sweep who Saved King George II of England
Another legend featuring a courageous chimney sweep that dates back to the 1700’s, King George II was riding his horse in a procession down a street in London when suddenly, an angry dog appeared before the horse, growled and barked fiercely, and scared the horse. Crazed by fear, the horse bucked and jumped uncontrollably and caused King George II to let go of the reins. Only one man was brave enough to come out to help the king by grabbing the horse and calming the animal down. This man was a local chimney sweep, and, by calming down the horse, he saved the king’s life. To show how grateful he was to this chimney sweep, King George II announced that from this day forward all chimney sweeps should be seen as signs of future success and deserved to be treated with the greatest respect. From then on, English chimney sweeps have been considered as bringers of luck, success, and good fortune.
The Chimney Sweep who Fell from the Roof and Fell in Love
An undated legend that originated in Europe tells the tale of a chimney sweep who was working on a roof and fell. Fortunately, according to Good Luck Symbols, his life was spared because his foot got caught in the gutter; however, he was not completely safe as he was hanging upside down. Fortunately for this chimney sweep, a young woman who lived in the house heard this cries for help and looked out of her window to see him dangling in front of it. Immediately becoming determined to save the life of this chimney sweep, she pulled him inside through the window and led him into safety. This young woman was engaged to be married, but once the chimney sweep composed himself inside, the two instantly fell in love at first sight. She ended her engagement and married the chimney sweep and lived happily ever after. This legend of a chimney sweep’s luck in love spread throughout the continent and the globe and continues to this day.
Interested in these legends of the luck of chimney sweeps? Contact Weststar Chimney Sweeps to hear our lucky chimney sweeps talk about their experiences with these stories.
